The surprising science behind the airport departure board
Every traveller has done it. You arrive at the airport, glance up at the departure boards and scan the rows of destinations looking for your flight.
But those familiar screens are doing far more than listing flights.
As Auckland Airport goes through its biggest redevelopment since the 1970s and introduces temporary areas such as check-in Zone T, those screens are becoming more important than ever.
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Asian male traveler with wheeled luggage checking for flight schedule on arrival and departure board at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Getty
Around 700 screens display flight information at Auckland Airport, everywhere from the main departure halls to baggage areas and operational workspaces behind the scenes.
Known as FIDS, Flight Information Display Systems form a network of constantly updating screens used by travellers, airlines and airport teams alike.
But there is far more strategy behind the digital displays than most people realise, says Auckland Airport Digital Infrastructure Delivery Lead, Mike Side.
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The invisible system behind the boards
Behind those screens sits a complex system of global aviation data.
Airlines first coordinate seasonal flight schedules through an international slot system that balances demand with airport capacity.
Those schedules then feed into the airport's Airport Operating Database, which stores the local schedules, aircraft details and operational planning.
AUCKLAND - MAR 09 2025:Air passengers waiting for flights in Auckland Airport the largest and busiest airport in the country, with over 18.7 million passengers served in the year ended December 2024. Getty
As flights get closer, more data is added, including aircraft registration numbers and allocations for aircraft gates, baggage belts and check -in zones.
The information is constantly updated through feeds from airlines, air traffic systems and ground handlers, with the airport teams monitoring it around the clock.
"When something changes, airlines, ground handlers and airport operations teams are constantly communicating with each other to keep information current," Side said.
The information changes as you move through the airport
Landside displays, in the areas before border processing, focus on check-in zones and departure times, helping travellers find the right place to start their journey.
Further inside the terminal, screens add more detail such as gate numbers and boarding updates.
Gate numbers are usually not shown too early, to stop travellers heading to a gate that may still be in use by another flight.
"There's a lot of thought about what information travellers need at each stage."
A young woman looking at the flight details board at the airport Getty
Why airport screens still matter in the age of apps
Even in an era of airline apps and travel alerts, airport flight boards remain one of the most reliable sources of information for travellers.
"Not everyone has the airline app loaded or the right information on their phone. When you're standing in the terminal the boards are the source of truth," Side said.
For many travellers, that quick glance up to the FIDS is still the fastest way to confirm what's happening with their flight.
From clattering boards to digital displays
Before today's digital displays, Auckland Airport used the iconic "Solari" boards, the mechanical boards that flipped through letters with a distinctive clatter.
"That noise when everything flipped at once - that was the excitement ," Side said.
The airport's last Solari board – thought to be the last in New Zealand, was retired in 2012 after more than three decades of service.
Auckland Airport auctioned pieces of the board on Trade Me, raising almost $58,000 for the Foundation for Youth Development, now known as the Graeme Dingle Foundation, a charity supporting young people in South Auckland.
While the technology behind airport flight displays has changed over the years, their purpose has not: helping travellers work out where to next.
This story was originally published by Stuff NZ and has been reproduced here with permission.
